The beloved squirrels of this university has found new competition: the Birds.
Birds are electrical motorized scooters intended to reduce traffic and the need for cars. Although the intention behind the scooters are genuine, on September 7th, Bird dumped many scooters without notifying the city of Ann Arbor or the University. The lack of communication was problematic, and as a result, on September 17th the city confiscated 24 scooters for violating city ordinances. The Birds were improperly parked on bike lanes, city streets and on sidewalks, and thus, were stored in a public works facility. Bird then began discussion about a licensing agreement in Ann Arbor. These discussions seemed to be successful with the influx of Birds pervading the campus in the past few weeks.
To make sure that the birds are here to stay, here are some Bird courtesy tips:
- Properly park the bird — Make sure that the birds do not block pedestrian pathways or roads and that they are properly upright. The best places to park Birds are near bike racks, neatly to the side of buildings or away from the edge of the sidewalks.
- Share the road — If you are riding on the road, keep to the right and make sure that you are closer to the sidewalk. If you are riding on the sidewalk, make sure to not ride too closely to pedestrians and respect their space.
- Use an appropriate speed — If you are on the road, then you should be going faster. If you are on the sidewalk, be mindful of pedestrians and reduce your speed accordingly.